the sociology of sport P5IP

The Weekly Individual Projects and Your Final Submission in Week Five:The Individual Projects forthis course will build on each other—that is, each week leading to the final submission in Week 5, you will do 1 piece of the project that builds the complete assignment. The topic of your assignment is the sociology of sport. This is a large field within the discipline and one that most people experience in one way or another in their culture.

Week Five Individual Project

Review the suggestions of your instructor and your peers for improving your work. (They suggest a little more history on basketball, and is there any religious issues involved) Then, add a conclusion to your paper of 300–400 words on the following:

• Reflect on your own experiences (with sports in your own life as a player, fan, or both) and in this assignment.

I played positon of forward on a basketball team at a youth center, I like basketball and baseball to watch. I don’t understand football, but I like it

• What role does this play in your life?
• How does your experience connect you to others who are sports fans and participants?

Must be APA format

Runningheader:

The Field of Sociology of Sport

P1IP

Connie Hutson

6

P1IP
Connie Hutson

SOCL215-1203B-18

Colorado Technical University

Connie Hutson

25 August 2012

Overview

For clarifying my answers, I have chosen

the subsequent framework to follow:

·

The Social Endeavor of Sports

· Sports and Human Needs

· Conflict Perspective of Sports

SOCL215-1203B-18
Colorado Technical University
Connie Hutson
25 August 2012

The Field Of Sociology of Sport

I looked at sports from the ‘conflict perspective’, since I consider this the most helpful speculative perception when observing the sociology of sports. For clarifying my answers, I have chosen the following framework to follow:
The Social Endeavor of Sports

How do I describe sports? Well, sports are the physical activities that are either unplanned or structured, which are embarked on to preserve healthiness and ability, along with providing enjoyment for partakers and observers. Along these lines, sports do not merely encourage healthiness; they motivate participants to drive their physiques and capabilities towards showing their potentials of attainment. The element of sports being entertainment too, motivates businesspersons towards financing structured athletic undertakings. When individuals devote themselves to sports, they harvest the compulsion to keep an eye on certain ones. This lets them sense reassurance, like an admirer looking up to a celebrity, or getting the sensation similar to fitting in. Since sports generate publicity and enthusiasm, a subgroup amongst admirers, associations and sports events develop throughout time. Every spectator sport devises particular guidelines, principles, and kinds of participants and supporters. Affiliation and commitment to sports can generate prospects that yield worthy revenue to businesspersons. A number of businesspersons are also enthusiasts of the sport, and many capitalize on it, for their simple love of the game (Unknown Author, 2011).

Social Necessities and Sports

It is this love of the game that insinuates the significance of a sport not merely from the physical, but likewise from a societal and psychological perspective. People sense the necessity to fit in, like having a position in an assembly reassures the existence of additional persons that can deliver camaraderie, funding, companionship and approval. Though numerous persons frequently say they do not need someone to be content, people are societal creatures and association to certain sports, or being a supporter and follower gives a person the sense of belonging. In the validation of the individuality of a person, belonging is essential. This is especially true when the person is striving to find out whom they are. Certainly, a sport makes available physical health and improves spiritedness, which is an imperative part in our continued existence (Johnston, R.H., 2006). Still, this assists individuals in forming their own individuality. For example, an individual might comment, “I am a football enthusiast; immediately, this produces a definite distinctiveness.

Conflict Perspective of Sports

Even though copied from socialism, the sociological perspective of conflict theory has numerous features that can effortlessly clarify the activities of sports. If society is the setting for opposition in assets and control, then sports delivers to people the playing fields for additional competiveness by means of definite guidelines and criteria, which command just how competition must be organized. Individuals that participate in the sports are completely mindful that they are in a competition, that additional athletes are also striving to achieve the incentives accessible in recognition, in societal status and/or financial success. Ponder, the game of Golf, golfers would like to grasp the number one spot held by Tiger Woods up until his dishonor related to private matters. When he was discredited, individuals vied to conquer this number one niche for the recognition, the grandeur and the assets. The best pro-golfers get the booty, which makes the winning position the idyllic spot to inhabit. The money, commendations, and recognition can merely be transferred to the best golfers that are in persistent conflict, by way of competitions and tourneys, to check who in the midst of them is the very best (Nagpal, L. 2009).

Resources:
(Web)
Johnston, R.H., Time to Speak Up, 2006 retrieved from

http://www.angus.gov.uk/ccmeetings/reports-

committee/recreationcultural/2003/.%5C264App

Nagpal, L., Sports and its importance, 2009 retrieved from

http://www.indiachildren.com/growing/10to15y/sports.htm

Unknown Author, What is sports, 2011 retrieved from

http://thesaurus.com/browse/sport

Running head: BASKETBALL 1

BASKETBALL 4

SOCL215-1203B-18 P2IP

Colorado Technical University

Connie Hutson

2 September 2012

Basketball

SOCL215-1203B-18 P2IP

Colorado Technical University
Connie Hutson
2 September 2012
Basketball

Basketball started in 1891. Dr, James Naismith, set out the sport. He was a physician education instructor and a professor at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School in Massachusetts. This was during the winter period. He wanted to come up with an indoor activity that will ensure his students maintain their high level of fitness without going outdoors. During the initial days, the ball had to be retrieved from the basket each time a basket was made. The use of a closed basket proved to be too inefficient, which lead to the use of open baskets at the bottom. Currently, an open net attached to a metallic rim is used. The initial sport involved passing the ball without dribbling. This was due to the asymmetrical nature of the ball. During the 1950s, dribbling was incorporated into the basketball game due to improved nature of the balls. The sport started to be more popular among the black, American society (McClellan, 2010).

Basketball has enjoyed a massive support in the United States to become a second sport after the American football. The sport has become the second high rated sport after the American football in terms of support. The sport enjoys a massive fan support all over the country. In addition, the game is hugely popular due to the nature of space needed to create its court. The sport has become a daily normal support where almost all people can play it (McClellan, 2010). Due to the exceptional support this sport has in the American society, basketball fits into the contemporary American society. Both the young and the old in the society play basketball. Basketballs’ influence on society is predictable due to the nature of the professional players. The players are celebrities in the society, which means that they can influence the society, negatively or positively.

Basketball reflects most of the cultural traits in the United States. It reflects a movement from segregation to integration in the society. This was evident when the African Americans were not allowed to play in the country league until in 1950s. From 1950 onwards, the African American society has actively participated in the sport. The sport is highly covered in the media as it is reported about forty-seven percent of the Americans watch each basketball game on the media. This exposure by the media has made to be a truly luxurious and well paying job in the American society. In addition, it has led to the spread of the sport to other continents (McClellan, 2010).

In the past, the sport was used to represent the African American race. The sport was enormously popular in the African community. After the 1950s the sport became integrated where all the communities started to participate in it. The sport is exceedingly common especially in young urban youths. Due to the demanding nature of the sport, only the young people can participate effective in it. In addition, the middle aged can play for leisure (McClellan, 2010). Basketball is a sport that has made sure the social values in the society are realized. Basketball has also made certain that people from different races and ethnics come together to enjoy its extreme value. For example, the selection of teams is based on talent and not a race.

Resource

McClellan, R., (2010) Basketball Minneapolis, MN Bellwether Media

Sociological Observation of a Sporting Event
Student Name: Connie Hutson Event: Basketball Game Date of Observation: September 09,2012

Characteristic	Observations/Comments
Setting or Environment	The setting for the basketball game is at the Oklahoma arena. This indoor setting is incredibly lively, and all the components, such as the lighting, sound systems and the seating are well organized.
Participants	There are two teams competing for the Western Conference title. There is a great disparity in the ages of the participants, with the youngest player being 19 years of age whereas the oldest is 31 years of age. Many of the players, approximately 75%, are black whereas the rest are either White or Hispanic. I have observed that the game plays a major role in bridging the racial gap between the players, because they work harmoniously and seem to understand each other exceptionally well, regardless of their racial differences.
Attendees/ Fans	There are many attendees (approximately 30,000). Most of them are energetic, and the mood is exceptionally electrifying. There are various entertainers that are dancing and amusing people, before the game starts and during the short intervals, when the teams break in- between the quarters. Most of the fans are male which are from all age brackets; there is also a substantial number of females, especially young females below the age of 30. There are also some media personalities who have come to provide coverage of the event.
Dress/Attire/ Style	The players have their matching shorts and sleeveless t-shirts. Most of the fans are dressed in casual sporting attire, most notably- tracksuits and t-shirts.
Behaviors Observed	The fans are very buoyant and intermittently resort to singing and chanting to motivate their team. There is also a high level of interaction, with fans supporting the same event. Through watching this sport, I have come to the realization that basketball is a unifying sport. The fans, although they do not know each other, interact with each other as they share the proceedings of the game.
Ambiance/ Atmosphere	The atmosphere is incredibly dynamic, with the fans cheering their teams, and singing songs of praise whenever their teams make a basket. Apart from the fans, there are also a number of female entertainers dancing and performing for the crowd during the intermissions.
Symbols	There are many symbols inherent in this basketball game. The referee mainly uses hand symbols, to inform the players and the fans of decisions unfolding, as the game continues. The fans have also come with many banners showing support for their teams.
Other Observations	There is some distinctive knowledge and/or language that characterize this sport. Most of the fans, as well as all the players, are familiar with the language, which includes a number of rules that govern the game.

© Colorado Technical University 2011

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